Valve construction



Oct. 10, 1939. T. J. LITLE. JR

VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1937 {510,15 AT T [IRHEY Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE CONSTRUCTION Application September 29, 1937, Serial No. 166,379

1 Claim.

My invention relates to laundering machines and more particularly to a novel valve construction for the liquid discharge hose of a laundering machine.

An object of my invention is to provide a simplified control valve for the liquid discharge hose of a laundering machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve for the liquid discharge hose of a laundering machine which is economical to manufacture, readily cleaned, easy to open and close, and which will seat tightly without leaking.

More specifically, my invention contemplates the provision of a valve construction for the liquid discharge hose of a laundering machine wherein the outlet of the hose is adapted to receive in tight wedging engagement therewith, so as to prevent leakage, a resilient ball which may be easily and quickly moved from a wedged closed position to an open position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing a laundering machine having a liquid discharge hose incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a view showing the gooseneck of the discharge hose with which my novel valve construction is adapted to cooperate.

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 showing the valve in an open position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 showing the valve in a closed position.

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

The laundering machine in which my invention is incorporated, comprises a washing vat ll having suitable means therein for washing clothes such as an oscillatable agitator, a drying vat 12 having means therein for drying the clothes such as a rotatable perforated basket, a support ing base 13 upon which the washing and drying vats are mounted and legs 14 for supporting the machine.

Most laundering machines are equipped with a pump, not shown, which is adapted to take fluid from either the washing or drying vats and return that fluid to either of the vats or to an external vessel. For example, after the washing operations have been completed, the washing vat must be drained, which is usually accomplished by pumping the water from the washing vat through a drain hose 16 to a waste pipe. At other times, it is desirable to return the washing fluid, extracted from the clothes during drying operations, back to the washing vat. It is quite customary in machines of this character to connect the pump to the motor without the intervention of a clutch as this construction eliminates a clutch and its control. Consequently, there are times during the operation of the machine when there is a pressure of liquid in the discharge or drain hose l6. While this pressure is not great, the valve, which is usually placed adjacent the end of the drain hose for convenience of operation, must be capable of withstanding the pressure of the pump without leakage. Most of the drain hose valves with which I am familiar are relatively expensive and are difficult to clean. I have devised a valve which is capable of withstanding the pressure of the pump which may be manufactured at a reasonable cost and which is easy to operate.

In accordance with my invention, in the end of the drain hose is fitted a metal gooseneck I! which may be conveniently hooked over the rim of the laundering machine, as indicated in the drawings, or may be inserted in an aperture provided in the cover of the washing vat as is the usual practice. The end of the gooseneck is externally threaded, as indicated at 18, to receive threads l9 formed internally of a preferably die cast sleeve 2|. The threads are of relatively large pitch so that for comparatively small rotational movement of the sleeve with respect to the gooseneck a relatively large travel of the sleeve is obtained. The end of the sleeve projects beyond the end of the gooseneck and is provided with bosses having apertures 22 for the reception of a headed cross pin or shaft 23.

On the shaft is mounted, so as to be freely rotatable and slidable, a rubber ball 24 which is adapted to center itself and seat on the lip 23 of the gooseneck outlet. While the ball 24 may be made of other materials, it is preferably made of rubber so that when the sleeve is screwed down, as shown in Figure 4, the ball will wedge in the mouth of the outlet and form a tight seal to prevent the possibility of leakage. Other forms or shapes of closure may be substituted for the ball 24. However, I prefer a ball and prefer that it shall be freely rotatable so that different portions of the ball will seat on the lip of the gooseneck outlet, as this distributes the wear and minimizes the possibility of the ball wearing at one point.

To prevent the sleeve from being accidentally removed from the end of the gooseneck, I provide a screw 21 which engages the beginning of the thread when the valve is in its wide open position, as indicated at 28. When it is desired to remove the sleeve, the screw may be loosened and the entire valve assembly removed from the gooseneck. This is particularly important as considerable lint and threads removed from the clothes are normally discharged through ,the drain hose and the drain hose valve should be periodically cleaned. The fact that the valve of my invention may be quickly removed from the gooseneck and the fact that it is located at the very end of the gooseneck enables quick and thorough cleaning of the valve. It will further be appreciated that very little physical effort is required to move the valve from the completely open position to the closed wedging position shown in Figure 4. It is merely necessary to turn the sleeve through perhaps half a revolution in order to efiect complete closing or opening of the valve.

It will be apparent that I have provided a novel valve construction particularly adapted for laundering machines which is easy to operate, convenient to clean and which forms a tight seal against leakage, and that various changes and modifications may be made in the form and relation of parts Without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

The combination with a fluid conduit having an outlet provided with a substantially circular lip at its discharge end and screw-threads adjacent said outlet of a valve for said conduit, said valve comprising a substantially spherical resilient member adapted to be'wedged against said lip of the conduit outlet, supporting means for said valve including a sleeve having one end portion thereof provided with screw-threads engaging said screw-threads of the conduit and a substantially cylindrical chamber extending inwardly from the other end thereof freely receiving the valve therein, and a rigid shaft connecting said valve to said sleeve, said valve being freely rotatable on and slidable along said shaft, and said shaft being so connected with the sleeve that the valve projects outwardly from the valve chamber beyond the adjacent end of the sleeve.

THOMAS J. LITLE, J R. 

